The present invention relates to footwear and, more particularly, to a footwear construction and method for making the same.
There is an ongoing effort in the footwear industry to produce footwear that provides flexibility and stability. Such footwear is targeted toward individuals whose lifestyle and/or profession demand high levels of physical activity, for example, traveling on foot for significant distances, or frequently traversing rugged terrain or worksites.
Conventional footwear constructions, however, provide one of flexibility and stability, but usually not both because the features required for these characteristics typically negate one another. For example, one construction known for its flexibility is a San Crispino construction, which may be incorporated into tactical, military, work or hiking boots. In such a construction, an upper is sewn to a flat, foot shaped insole board. Specifically, a first part of a lower edge of the upper is stitched to a top surface of the insole board. A remaining part of the edge is wrapped over the periphery of the insole-board, and folded back under the board, against the bottom surface of the board. A flat outsole is glued over the bottom surface of the insole board and any part of the upper that is folded against the bottom side of the insole board.
Although this construction is flexible and aesthetically pleasing, it frequently compromises the stability of the footwear, especially in the heel and ankle region. Moreover, because the insole and outsole are of a substantially uniform thickness from heel to toe of the footwear, there is little or no cushion variation provided for different regions of the foot, which in turn, can compromise the comfort of the shoe.
Although different constructions exist that provide desired characteristics such as flexibility, there remains an unmet need for a footwear construction that provides the best of both flexibility and stability.